# How to point a domain to a server or IP address

To point a domain to a server, add an **A record** where you bought the domain. Give it your server's IPv4 address. Most
domains then work within minutes, though some take a day or two.

## What you need

- A domain, such as `myshop.com`.
- A sign-in at the place you bought it, or at the company that runs its DNS.
- Your server's IPv4 address. It looks like `203.0.113.10`.

## Add the record

1. Sign in where you bought the domain and find its **DNS** settings.
2. Add a new record with these values:

   | Field | What to enter |
   |---|---|
   | Type | `A` |
   | Name or host | `@` for `myshop.com` itself, or a word such as `shop` for `shop.myshop.com` |
   | Value or points to | Your server's IPv4 address |
   | TTL | Leave the default |

3. Want `www.myshop.com` to work too? Add a second A record with `www` as the name.
4. Delete any older A record with the same name. If two records share a name, visitors can land on the wrong server.
5. Save.

## Check that it worked

Run this on your computer. It works in Windows, macOS and Linux:

```
nslookup myshop.com 1.1.1.1
```

When the answer shows your server's address, the record is live. If you still see an old address, wait a little and try
again. Your own computer may remember the old answer for a while.

If a Linux computer doesn't have `nslookup`, install `dnsutils` on Ubuntu or Debian, or `bind-utils` on Rocky Linux, AlmaLinux
or RHEL.

## When it does not work

| What you see | What to do |
|---|---|
| The answer shows an old address | Delete the old A record, then wait |
| The answer shows two addresses | Delete the one that is not your server |
| You use Cloudflare, and the answer shows Cloudflare's addresses | That is its proxy, the orange cloud. Some servers need it off to get a certificate. Set the record to **DNS only** |
| You changed the record, but nothing else changes | Check the domain's nameservers. Only the company they name can change your records |
| The address works but the browser says "not secure" | The domain is pointed. Your server still needs a certificate |
| You see an error from your server, such as 502 | The domain is pointed. See [how to fix a 502](/docs/fix-502-bad-gateway/) |

## A record or nameservers?

An A record points one name at one server. You keep your DNS where it is, and your email keeps working.

Changing **nameservers** hands all of your domain's DNS to another company. Do this only if you want that company to run
all your records. Copy your email records first, or your mail can stop.

## Doing this on CortexHosting

1. Open your server and go to **Domains**.
2. Press **Attach a domain**, then type the name. Tick **Also attach www** if you want that too.
3. Add the A record with your server's address. **How to make the record, step by step** at the bottom of the page has
   help for Cloudflare, Namecheap, GoDaddy and Squarespace.
4. Wait for the badge to change. We check every 30 seconds at first, then every 5 minutes. Press **Check now** if you
   don't want to wait.

If your server runs Caddy, we get a free certificate for you, so your site opens with HTTPS. If you use Cloudflare, keep
its proxy off (**DNS only**) for as long as the domain is attached.

No domain yet? **Get a free web address** gives your server a name that works right away.

CortexHosting is not open yet, so you can’t order a server today.
Last changed: 2026-11-02
Source: https://cortexhosting.dev/docs/point-domain-to-server/